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Zhao Z, Rudman NA, He J, Dmochowski IJ. Programming xenon diffusion in maltose-binding protein. Biophys J 2022; 121:4635-4643. [PMID: 36271622 PMCID: PMC9748359 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein interiors contain void space that can bind small gas molecules. Determination of gas pathways and kinetics in proteins has been an intriguing and challenging task. Here, we combined computational methods and the hyperpolarized xenon-129 chemical exchange saturation transfer (hyper-CEST) NMR technique to investigate xenon (Xe) exchange kinetics in maltose-binding protein (MBP). A salt bridge ∼9 Å from the Xe-binding site formed upon maltose binding and slowed the Xe exchange rate, leading to a hyper-CEST 129Xe signal from maltose-bound MBP. Xe dissociation occurred faster than dissociation of the salt bridge, as shown by 13C NMR spectroscopy and variable-B1 hyper-CEST experiments. "Xe flooding" molecular dynamics simulations identified a surface hydrophobic site, V23, that has good Xe binding affinity. Mutations at this site confirmed its role as a secondary exchange pathway in modulating Xe diffusion. This shows the possibility for site-specifically controlling xenon protein-solvent exchange. Analysis of the available MBP structures suggests a biological role of MBP's large hydrophobic cavity to accommodate structural changes associated with ligand binding and protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuangyu Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Nathan A Rudman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jiayi He
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ivan J Dmochowski
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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2
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Banerjee R, Lipscomb JD. Small-Molecule Tunnels in Metalloenzymes Viewed as Extensions of the Active Site. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:2185-2195. [PMID: 33886257 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Rigorous substrate selectivity is a hallmark of enzyme catalysis. This selectivity is generally ascribed to a thermodynamically favorable process of substrate binding to the enzyme active site based upon complementary physiochemical characteristics, which allows both acquisition and orientation. However, this chemical selectivity is more difficult to rationalize for diminutive molecules that possess too narrow a range of physical characteristics to allow either precise positioning or discrimination between a substrate and an inhibitor. Foremost among these small molecules are dissolved gases such as H2, N2, O2, CO, CO2, NO, N2O, NH3, and CH4 so often encountered in metalloenzyme catalysis. Nevertheless, metalloenzymes have evolved to metabolize these small-molecule substrates with high selectivity and efficiency.The soluble methane monooxygenase enzyme (sMMO) acts upon two of these small molecules, O2 and CH4, to generate methanol as part of the C1 metabolic pathway of methanotrophic organisms. sMMO is capable of oxidizing many alternative hydrocarbon substrates. Remarkably, however, it will preferentially oxidize methane, the substrate with the fewest discriminating physical characteristics and the strongest C-H bond. Early studies led us to broadly attribute this specificity to the formation of a "molecular sieve" in which a methane- and oxygen-sized tunnel provides a size-selective route from bulk solvent to the completely buried sMMO active site. Indeed, recent cryogenic and serial femtosecond ambient temperature crystallographic studies have revealed such a route in sMMO. A detailed study of the sMMO tunnel considered here in the context of small-molecule tunnels identified in other metalloenzymes reveals three discrete characteristics that contribute to substrate selectivity and positioning beyond that which can be provided by the active site itself. Moreover, the dynamic nature of many tunnels allows an exquisite coordination of substrate binding and reaction phases of the catalytic cycle. Here we differentiate between the highly selective molecular tunnel, which allows only the one-dimensional transit of small molecules, and the larger, less-selective channels found in typical enzymes. Methods are described to identify and characterize tunnels as well as to differentiate them from channels. In metalloenzymes which metabolize dissolved gases, we posit that the contribution of tunnels is so great that they should be considered to be extensions of the active site itself. A full understanding of catalysis by these enzymes requires an appreciation of the roles played by tunnels. Such an understanding will also facilitate the use of the enzymes or their synthetic mimics in industrial or pharmaceutical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Banerjee
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55391, United States
| | - John D. Lipscomb
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55391, United States
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3
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Dotson RJ, McClenahan E, Pias SC. Updated Evaluation of Cholesterol's Influence on Membrane Oxygen Permeability. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1269:23-30. [PMID: 33966190 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-48238-1_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
There is a surprising gap in knowledge regarding the mechanism of oxygen (O2) diffusional delivery at the level of tissues and cells. Yet, the effectiveness of tumor radiotherapy, the success of tissue engineering, and healthy metabolism all require ample intracellular oxygen. Tissue-level diffusion takes place in a complex and crowded macromolecular environment. Cholesterol-rich cellular membranes have been thought to reduce oxygen flux. Here, we use atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to update prior estimates of bilayer permeability and related parameters for 1-palmitoyl,2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) and POPC/cholesterol bilayers, using a modified O2 model with improved membrane-water partitioning behavior. This work estimates an oxygen permeability coefficient of 15 ± 1 cm/s for POPC and 11.5 ± 0.4 cm/s for POPC/cholesterol (1:1 molecular ratio) at 37 °C. The permeability of POPC is found to be ~1/3 that of a water layer of similar thickness, and the permeability of POPC/cholesterol is estimated to be 20-30% below that of POPC. Void pathway visualization and free energy data support channeling of oxygen toward the center of cholesterol-incorporating membranes, while partition coefficient data suggest reduced membrane solubility of oxygen due to cholesterol. Further study is needed to understand whether diffusion pathway changes due to cholesterol and other molecular compositional factors influence oxygen availability within tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel J Dotson
- Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech), Socorro, NM, USA
| | - Emily McClenahan
- Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech), Socorro, NM, USA
| | - Sally C Pias
- Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech), Socorro, NM, USA.
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4
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Shahoei R, Tajkhorshid E. Menthol Binding to the Human α4β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Facilitated by Its Strong Partitioning in the Membrane. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:1866-1880. [PMID: 32048843 PMCID: PMC7094167 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b10092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
We utilize various computational methodologies to study menthol's interaction with multiple organic phases, a lipid bilayer, and the human α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), the most abundant nAChR in the brain. First, force field parameters developed for menthol are validated in alchemical free energy perturbation simulations to calculate solvation free energies of menthol in water, dodecane, and octanol and compare the results against experimental data. Next, umbrella sampling is used to construct the free energy profile of menthol permeation across a 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) bilayer. The results from a flooding simulation designed to study the water-membrane partitioning of menthol in a POPC lipid bilayer are used to determine the penetration depth and the preferred orientation of menthol in the bilayer. Finally, employing both docking and flooding simulations, menthol is shown to bind to different sites on the human α4β2 nAChR. The most likely binding mode of menthol to a desensitized membrane-embedded α4β2 nAChR is identified to be via a membrane-mediated pathway in which menthol binds to the sites at the lipid-protein interface after partitioning in the membrane. A rare but distinct binding mode in which menthol binds to the extracellular opening of receptor's ion permeation pore is also reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rezvan Shahoei
- Department of Physics, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Department of Biochemistry, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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5
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Domene C, Jorgensen C, Schofield CJ. Mechanism of Molecular Oxygen Diffusion in a Hypoxia-Sensing Prolyl Hydroxylase Using Multiscale Simulation. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:2253-2263. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b09236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Domene
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, King’s College London, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Jorgensen
- Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, King’s College London, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. Schofield
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
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6
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Gopalasingam CC, Johnson RM, Chiduza GN, Tosha T, Yamamoto M, Shiro Y, Antonyuk SV, Muench SP, Hasnain SS. Dimeric structures of quinol-dependent nitric oxide reductases (qNORs) revealed by cryo-electron microscopy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaax1803. [PMID: 31489376 PMCID: PMC6713497 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax1803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Quinol-dependent nitric oxide reductases (qNORs) are membrane-integrated, iron-containing enzymes of the denitrification pathway, which catalyze the reduction of nitric oxide (NO) to the major ozone destroying gas nitrous oxide (N2O). Cryo-electron microscopy structures of active qNOR from Alcaligenes xylosoxidans and an activity-enhancing mutant have been determined to be at local resolutions of 3.7 and 3.2 Å, respectively. They unexpectedly reveal a dimeric conformation (also confirmed for qNOR from Neisseria meningitidis) and define the active-site configuration, with a clear water channel from the cytoplasm. Structure-based mutagenesis has identified key residues involved in proton transport and substrate delivery to the active site of qNORs. The proton supply direction differs from cytochrome c-dependent NOR (cNOR), where water molecules from the cytoplasm serve as a proton source similar to those from cytochrome c oxidase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chai C. Gopalasingam
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Rachel M. Johnson
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Astbury Centre for Structural and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - George N. Chiduza
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Takehiko Tosha
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Masaki Yamamoto
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Yoshitsugu Shiro
- Graduate School of Life Science, University of Hyogo, 3-2-1 Kouto, Kamigori, Ako, Hyogo 678-1297, Japan
| | - Svetlana V. Antonyuk
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Stephen P. Muench
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
- Astbury Centre for Structural and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - S. Samar Hasnain
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
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7
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Pieńko T, Trylska J. Computational Methods Used to Explore Transport Events in Biological Systems. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 59:1772-1781. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.8b00974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Pieńko
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, S. Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Drug Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy with the Laboratory Medicine Division, Medical University of Warsaw, S. Banacha 1a, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Trylska
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, S. Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Adam SM, Wijeratne GB, Rogler PJ, Diaz DE, Quist DA, Liu JJ, Karlin KD. Synthetic Fe/Cu Complexes: Toward Understanding Heme-Copper Oxidase Structure and Function. Chem Rev 2018; 118:10840-11022. [PMID: 30372042 PMCID: PMC6360144 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Heme-copper oxidases (HCOs) are terminal enzymes on the mitochondrial or bacterial respiratory electron transport chain, which utilize a unique heterobinuclear active site to catalyze the 4H+/4e- reduction of dioxygen to water. This process involves a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) from a tyrosine (phenolic) residue and additional redox events coupled to transmembrane proton pumping and ATP synthesis. Given that HCOs are large, complex, membrane-bound enzymes, bioinspired synthetic model chemistry is a promising approach to better understand heme-Cu-mediated dioxygen reduction, including the details of proton and electron movements. This review encompasses important aspects of heme-O2 and copper-O2 (bio)chemistries as they relate to the design and interpretation of small molecule model systems and provides perspectives from fundamental coordination chemistry, which can be applied to the understanding of HCO activity. We focus on recent advancements from studies of heme-Cu models, evaluating experimental and computational results, which highlight important fundamental structure-function relationships. Finally, we provide an outlook for future potential contributions from synthetic inorganic chemistry and discuss their implications with relevance to biological O2-reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne M. Adam
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Gayan B. Wijeratne
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Patrick J. Rogler
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Daniel E. Diaz
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - David A. Quist
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Jeffrey J. Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Kenneth D. Karlin
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
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9
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Mahinthichaichan P, Gennis RB, Tajkhorshid E. Bacterial denitrifying nitric oxide reductases and aerobic respiratory terminal oxidases use similar delivery pathways for their molecular substrates. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2018; 1859:712-724. [PMID: 29883591 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 05/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The superfamily of heme‑copper oxidoreductases (HCOs) include both NO and O2 reductases. Nitric oxide reductases (NORs) are bacterial membrane enzymes that catalyze an intermediate step of denitrification by reducing nitric oxide (NO) to nitrous oxide (N2O). They are structurally similar to heme‑copper oxygen reductases (HCOs), which reduce O2 to water. The experimentally observed apparent bimolecular rate constant of NO delivery to the deeply buried catalytic site of NORs was previously reported to approach the diffusion-controlled limit (108-109 M-1 s-1). Using the crystal structure of cytochrome-c dependent NOR (cNOR) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we employed several protocols of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, which include flooding simulations of NO molecules, implicit ligand sampling and umbrella sampling simulations, to elucidate how NO in solution accesses the catalytic site of this cNOR. The results show that NO partitions into the membrane, enters the enzyme from the lipid bilayer and diffuses to the catalytic site via a hydrophobic tunnel that is resolved in the crystal structures. This is similar to what has been found for O2 diffusion through the closely related O2 reductases. The apparent second order rate constant approximated using the simulation data is ~5 × 108 M-1 s-1, which is optimized by the dynamics of the amino acid side chains lining in the tunnel. It is concluded that both NO and O2 reductases utilize well defined hydrophobic tunnels to assure that substrate diffusion to the buried catalytic sites is not rate limiting under physiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paween Mahinthichaichan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, 405 North Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, 405 N. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Robert B Gennis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, 179 Looomis, MC-704, 1110 Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, 405 North Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, 405 N. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, 179 Looomis, MC-704, 1110 Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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10
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Murali R, Gennis RB. Functional importance of Glutamate-445 and Glutamate-99 in proton-coupled electron transfer during oxygen reduction by cytochrome bd from Escherichia coli. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2018; 1859:577-590. [PMID: 29719208 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2018.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The recent X-ray structure of the cytochrome bd respiratory oxygen reductase showed that two of the three heme components, heme d and heme b595, have glutamic acid as an axial ligand. No other native heme proteins are known to have glutamic acid axial ligands. In this work, site-directed mutagenesis is used to probe the roles of these glutamic acids, E445 and E99 in the E. coli enzyme. It is concluded that neither glutamate is a strong ligand to the heme Fe and they are not the major determinates of heme binding to the protein. Although very important, neither glutamate is absolutely essential for catalytic function. The close interactions between the three hemes in cyt bd result in highly cooperative properties. For example, mutation of E445, which is near heme d, has its greatest effects on the properties of heme b595 and heme b558. It is concluded that 1) O2 binds to the hydrophilic side of heme d and displaces E445; 2) E445 forms a salt bridge with R448 within the O2 binding pocket, and both residues play a role to stabilize oxygenated states of heme d during catalysis; 3) E445 and E99 are each protonated accompanying electron transfer to heme d and heme b595, respectively; 4) All protons used to generate water within the heme d active site come from the cytoplasm and are delivered through a channel that must include internal water molecules to assist proton transfer: [cytoplasm] → E107 → E99 (heme b595) → E445 (heme d) → oxygenated heme d.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjani Murali
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, 600 S. Mathews Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Robert B Gennis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, 600 S. Mathews Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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11
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Mahinthichaichan P, Gennis RB, Tajkhorshid E. Cytochrome aa 3 Oxygen Reductase Utilizes the Tunnel Observed in the Crystal Structures To Deliver O 2 for Catalysis. Biochemistry 2018; 57:2150-2161. [PMID: 29546752 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b01194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Cytochrome aa3 is the terminal respiratory enzyme of all eukaryotes and many bacteria and archaea, reducing O2 to water and harnessing the free energy from the reaction to generate the transmembrane electrochemical potential. The diffusion of O2 to the heme-copper catalytic site, which is buried deep inside the enzyme, is the initiation step of the reaction chemistry. Our previous molecular dynamics (MD) study with cytochrome ba3, a homologous enzyme of cytochrome aa3 in Thermus thermophilus, demonstrated that O2 diffuses from the lipid bilayer to its reduction site through a 25 Å long tunnel inferred by Xe binding sites detected by X-ray crystallography [Mahinthichaichan, P., Gennis, R., and Tajkhorshid, E. (2016) Biochemistry 55, 1265-1278]. Although a similar tunnel is observed in cytochrome aa3, this putative pathway appears partially occluded between the entrances and the reduction site. Also, the experimentally determined second-order rate constant for O2 delivery in cytochrome aa3 (∼108 M-1 s-1) is 10 times slower than that in cytochrome ba3 (∼109 M-1 s-1). A question to be addressed is whether cytochrome aa3 utilizes this X-ray-inferred tunnel as the primary pathway for O2 delivery. Using complementary computational methods, including multiple independent flooding MD simulations and implicit ligand sampling calculations, we probe the O2 delivery pathways in cytochrome aa3 of Rhodobacter sphaeroides. All of the O2 molecules that arrived in the reduction site during the simulations were found to diffuse through the X-ray-observed tunnel, despite its apparent constriction, supporting its role as the main O2 delivery pathway in cytochrome aa3. The rate constant for O2 delivery in cytochrome aa3, approximated using the simulation results, is 10 times slower than in cytochrome ba3, in agreement with the experimentally determined rate constants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paween Mahinthichaichan
- Department of Biochemistry, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois 61801 , United States
| | - Robert B Gennis
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois 61801 , United States
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Department of Biochemistry, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois 61801 , United States
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12
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Funatogawa C, Li Y, Chen Y, McDonald W, Szundi I, Fee JA, Stout CD, Einarsdóttir Ó. Role of the Conserved Valine 236 in Access of Ligands to the Active Site of Thermus thermophilus ba3 Cytochrome Oxidase. Biochemistry 2016; 56:107-119. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chie Funatogawa
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
| | - Yang Li
- Department
of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Institute, MB-8, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Ying Chen
- Department
of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Institute, MB-8, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - William McDonald
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
| | - Istvan Szundi
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
| | - James A. Fee
- Department
of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Institute, MB-8, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - C. David Stout
- Department
of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Institute, MB-8, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Ólöf Einarsdóttir
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
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13
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Mayne CG, Arcario MJ, Mahinthichaichan P, Baylon JL, Vermaas JV, Navidpour L, Wen PC, Thangapandian S, Tajkhorshid E. The cellular membrane as a mediator for small molecule interaction with membrane proteins. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2016; 1858:2290-2304. [PMID: 27163493 PMCID: PMC4983535 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2016.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The cellular membrane constitutes the first element that encounters a wide variety of molecular species to which a cell might be exposed. Hosting a large number of structurally and functionally diverse proteins associated with this key metabolic compartment, the membrane not only directly controls the traffic of various molecules in and out of the cell, it also participates in such diverse and important processes as signal transduction and chemical processing of incoming molecular species. In this article, we present a number of cases where details of interaction of small molecular species such as drugs with the membrane, which are often experimentally inaccessible, have been studied using advanced molecular simulation techniques. We have selected systems in which partitioning of the small molecule with the membrane constitutes a key step for its final biological function, often binding to and interacting with a protein associated with the membrane. These examples demonstrate that membrane partitioning is not only important for the overall distribution of drugs and other small molecules into different compartments of the body, it may also play a key role in determining the efficiency and the mode of interaction of the drug with its target protein. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Biosimulations edited by Ilpo Vattulainen and Tomasz Róg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G Mayne
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Mark J Arcario
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Paween Mahinthichaichan
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Javier L Baylon
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Josh V Vermaas
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Latifeh Navidpour
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Po-Chao Wen
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Sundarapandian Thangapandian
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
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14
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Vermaas JV, Trebesch N, Mayne CG, Thangapandian S, Shekhar M, Mahinthichaichan P, Baylon JL, Jiang T, Wang Y, Muller MP, Shinn E, Zhao Z, Wen PC, Tajkhorshid E. Microscopic Characterization of Membrane Transporter Function by In Silico Modeling and Simulation. Methods Enzymol 2016; 578:373-428. [PMID: 27497175 PMCID: PMC6404235 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2016.05.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Membrane transporters mediate one of the most fundamental processes in biology. They are the main gatekeepers controlling active traffic of materials in a highly selective and regulated manner between different cellular compartments demarcated by biological membranes. At the heart of the mechanism of membrane transporters lie protein conformational changes of diverse forms and magnitudes, which closely mediate critical aspects of the transport process, most importantly the coordinated motions of remotely located gating elements and their tight coupling to chemical processes such as binding, unbinding and translocation of transported substrate and cotransported ions, ATP binding and hydrolysis, and other molecular events fueling uphill transport of the cargo. An increasing number of functional studies have established the active participation of lipids and other components of biological membranes in the function of transporters and other membrane proteins, often acting as major signaling and regulating elements. Understanding the mechanistic details of these molecular processes require methods that offer high spatial and temporal resolutions. Computational modeling and simulations technologies empowered by advanced sampling and free energy calculations have reached a sufficiently mature state to become an indispensable component of mechanistic studies of membrane transporters in their natural environment of the membrane. In this article, we provide an overview of a number of major computational protocols and techniques commonly used in membrane transporter modeling and simulation studies. The article also includes practical hints on effective use of these methods, critical perspectives on their strengths and weak points, and examples of their successful applications to membrane transporters, selected from the research performed in our own laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- J V Vermaas
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - N Trebesch
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - C G Mayne
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - S Thangapandian
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - M Shekhar
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - P Mahinthichaichan
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - J L Baylon
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - T Jiang
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Y Wang
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - M P Muller
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - E Shinn
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Z Zhao
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - P-C Wen
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - E Tajkhorshid
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States.
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